Materials Management Proposal

Materials and operations management play a crucial role in the success of any organization. Of particular importance to the materials and operations divisions is management’s complete understanding of the hospitals functions as a whole entity. After reading this paper, one will understand the importance of materials management and operations management as well as how both departments must work together to ensure the hospital runs efficiently and maintains profitability. Furthermore, one will also understand the importance of a supply chain and possible constraints to the implementation of the process. Additionally, one will understand the effects of a new collaborative planning process and why such a process is beneficial to the hospital. Finally, suggestions will be given to enable the hospital to manage the supply chain in situations of disaster. Role of Materials and Operations Management Materials management is perhaps the most important part of health care as â€Å"total expenditures can total nearly 50% of a hospital's budget† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 41). Materials managers are held responsible for many functions. However, the most important attribute a materials manager must possess is coordination. â€Å"Materials management directs the healthcare supply chain by coordinating the flow of goods from manufacturers, through distributors, through hospital receiving docks, to the point of ultimate use or consumption† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 242). Operations management is another important function of a hospital. Healthcare operations management is the quantitative management of the supporting business systems and processes that transform resources (or inputs) into healthcare services (outputs)† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 6). Just as materials managers have many functions and goals, so too do operations managers. Key functions of the operations manager include â€Å"workflow, physical layout, capacity design, physical network optimization, staffing levels, productivity management, supply chain and logistics management, quality management, and process engineering† (Langabeer, 2008, p. ). Goals of the operations manager include reducing costs, reducing variability and improving logistics flow, improving productivity, improving the quality of customer service, and continuously improving business processes (Langabeer, 2008). However, the most important goal operations managers must strongly consider when implementing a materials management plan is reducing costs. Operations managers have many opportunities to reduce costs. Costs can be reduced by analyzing budgets, tracking resources, and finding ways to reduce product and services costs. â€Å"Finding waste, improving utilization, and generally stabilizing and reducing the overall cost of delivering services are essential functions† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 9). The most effective way for operations managers to reduce costs is to record all aspects of the organization and periodically review progress either monthly or quarterly. A hospital with appropriate tracking and management systems will be much more likely to reduce costs because it understands the underlying cost structure† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 9). A few ways materials management influences operations management are as follows: â€Å"the nature of the activities† in the materials management department â€Å"is actually quite operational, they have an impact on downstream departments and patient satisfaction, they are labor-intensive processes, and many times they draw from the s ame labor talent pool† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 244). Constraints to the Supply Chain Constraints are inevitable and every organization is prone to them whether the organization is in the manufacturing sector or service sector. A few constraints hospitals face include â€Å"managing supply levels, higher labor costs, space constraints, and multiple product classifications† (Sentient Health, 2007). Considering the above constraints, the main goal of both operations and materials managers is to reduce costs. The most beneficial way for hospitals to overcome constraints as well as reduce costs is to automate the supply chain. Supply automation is the use of technology to streamline inventory, consumption, charging and ordering procedures. Examples of this include the use of bar codes or radio frequency identification to identify and track inventory as it moves throughout the supply chain† (Sentient Health, 2007, p. 2). However before implementation can begin, the hospital must evaluate the advantages of automation as well as t he factors the hospital must consider when deciding to implement such a system. According to Sentient Health (2007), the advantages of automation include â€Å"reduced manual effort, greater information accuracy, improved inventory performance, improved cash flow, improved space utilization, and improved purchasing decisions† (p. 3). While understanding the benefits of such a system is important to the process, knowing which areas the system will have an effect on is detrimental to the hospitals implementation success. Factors to consider before implementing such a system include â€Å"mobility, ease of use, cost/budget/objectives, flexibility/ease of integration, and reporting† (Sentient Health, 2007, p. 3). Effects and Justification of a New Collaborative Planning Process Although automation is one option for the hospital to reduce costs and improve supply chains, other options such as sales and operations planning (S&OP) and collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR). The main focus of S&OP is to coordinate demand and supply with the intention of increasing the hospital’s profitability (Langabeer, 2008). To ensure the S&OP process is successful, the hospitals operations management must focus on four key principles: (1) provide a common base of information around the immediate market dynamics; (2) manage supply chain performance; (3) manage product portfolios collaboratively; and (4) create business plans and scenarios in which departments can share. According to Langabeer (2008), â€Å"benefits from the S&OP process include better cross-functional alignment, gap analysis, more efficient resource planning, and more effective use of promotional resources† (p. 338). CPFR is another option available to the hospital. â€Å"CPFR seeks to improve the relationship between retailers and suppliers with the intent to achieve full collaboration and improve the sharing of information around consumer point-of-sales data through the retail supply chain to improve overall chain performance† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 338). The main difference between CPFR and the other two options available to reduce costs and improve supply chains is a set of guidelines operations managers must follow during implementation. The guidelines are as follows: (1) share a common philosophy among all parties of implementation; (2) operations managers must use specific definitions and detail into the business process; (3) operations managers must ensure data resulting from the process is precise, easily accessible, and understood completely by all parties taking part in the process. Finally, for CPFR to be successful, milestones must be set. Particular milestones of importance to the hospital â€Å"include an improvement in forecasting accuracy, improvements in customer service levels or fill rates to providers, increased product line availability, reduction of inventory levels, and generally better financial cash flows† (Langabeer, 2008, p. 340-341). Coping in a Disaster Situation Disaster situations are difficult to plan for because disasters are unpredictable. However, materials and operations managers must understand the implications a disaster situation has on the hospital as well as ways to effectively handle such a situation to ensure patient safety, customer satisfaction, and profitability remain a priority. Richey (2009) refers to a pyramid when discussing supply chains in disaster situations. The composition of the pyramid includes the following tiers: capstone-resource management; left-facing front corner-collaboration, which is based on the relationship management theory; right-facing front corner-communication, which is based on communication theory; and back corner-contingency planning, which is based on the competing values theory. According to Richey (2009, p. 621), he interconnection† of the above principles include â€Å"(1) finding ways to effectively partner and develop improving collaborative relationships built of long-term commitment; (2) fostering information development and exchange for facilitating strategic planning based in limited safeguarding; and (3) developing contingency programs that incorporate the flexibility for responding to the inevitable changes in expected events while pursuing sometimes inconsistent goals. Conclusion  Materials and operations management work hand-in-hand to ensure the hospital runs as efficiently as possible. Furthermore, understanding all aspects of the supply chain will ensure materials and operations managers are readily equipped to deal with situations of disaster. However, operations and materials managers must understand the importance of such a concept. Understanding how to handle such a situation will ensure materials and operations managers the ability to maintain order as well as patient safety and continued profitability.

Iris Recognition System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Financial Forecasting TESCO Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Amazon web services Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amazon web services - Case Study Example The biggest benefit of this strategy was its potency to attract a large number of customers and thus build a huge customer base for the company. Amazon believed that by building scale, it could lower the bandwidth and hardware costs in the long run. The demerit of this pricing model was that it did not guarantee a certain amount of revenue from any customer. Some of the AWS customers paid less than $1 to the company. The AWS services have been pretty successful and hold a lot of promise for the future. On the face of it, AWS appears to be a diversion from Amazon’s core business; however in reality this is not the case. Since inception, Amazon has invested heavily in technology and its core competencies lie in the back end operations. To that extent, AWS is a perfect fit for Amazon’s skill sets. Since AWS was a front runner in the ‘cloud’ services, Amazon derived the first-mover advantage as well. It is recommended that Amazon broadens the customer base for the AWS services. Till date the company has been primarily relying on developers. It needs to rope in corporate customers given the fact that other technology behemoths like Microsoft and IBM are developing similar

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR - Essay Example A broad yet thorough understanding of consumers and their consumption patterns are crucial for an organization to thrive in the environment. Consumer behavior is an interaction of various factors that affect the process of consumption, within the buyer’s themselves and in the world that they hail from. Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007 establish consumer behavior as that behavior that consumers present when searching for, purchasing, evaluating and disposing of products which they think will satisfy their needs (p3). Consumer behavior may differ from one consumer to another, from one moment to another and from one environment to another. Consumer behavior describes the motives and judgment that lie behind purchasing decisions and the patterns through which purchasing is . In addition, it clearly explains the way that consumers undertake before making buying decisions. In this case, the product of choice is the Huawei Ideos mobile phone, and analysis will be using the Indifference Curv e Theory a. This theory was developed by Alfred Marshall, and it describes how consumers spend their income on individual products so as to achieve the greatest satisfaction level. However, this analysis is will not be limited to the indifference curve concept. The other concept that helps in understanding the consumer decision making process is the Utility Theory which proposes that buyers make purchasing decisions considering the anticipated results of their decisions, and in reality they are as rational decision makers with self interest (Schiffman and Kanuk 2007, Zinkhan 1992). Howard came up with the first consumer decision-model in 1963 (Du Plessis, Rousseau Et al.1991) The Theory of Buyer Behavior. The model was enhanced further in 1969 by Howard and Sheth to get the ‘Theory of Buyer Behavior’ (or Howard and Sheth Model) (Howard and Sheth 1969). It gives â€Å"a complex incorporation of a wide range of social, psychological and marketing effects on consumer sele ction into a consistent set of data distribution† (Foxall 1990 p.10). The authors concern was in developing an all-inclusive model that could be used to assess a wide range of buying situations, and as such the term ‘buyer’ was more than ‘consumer’ so as not be left out business purchases (Loudon and Della Bitta, 1993). The Huawei Ideos mobile phone is by Google. It is with many unique featured such as 4.3 Mega pixels camera, internet, wifi, creates a portable wifi hotspot, long battery life, sync services and supports a wide range of application. The price of the phone is about $95 and it was preferred for the lower and middle income earners. NEED RECOGNITION At this stage, the customer feels that he/she wants a mobile phone due to its various benefits including calling, messaging and internet services it has to offer. According to the indifference curve approach, the consumer realizes that he/she requires a given product based on its utility, which is the ability of a good or service to fulfill a human want. Therefore, the consumer chooses to purchase the mobile phone in order to satisfy calling, messaging and internet needs. The indifference curve concept uses the marginal utility concept which is a change in utility arising from a change in consumption. Therefore, the consumer’s decision to buy a phone shows an increase in profitability since the consumer is not contented with that the consumer is presently using and therefore the choice of

The counselling relationship Essay Example for Free

The counselling relationship Essay An anti-oppressive approach to counselling is essential to establish and maintain an affective working relationship between counsellors and clients. Clients must feel that they can trust their counsellor and that they may share any information without fear of judgment for their opinions, beliefs and values. Anti-oppressive practice enables clients to make informed choices surrounding the direction they wish their therapy journey to take. This essay will explore four areas that are critical to incorporate into professional counselling practice that contribute to the anti-oppressive approach to the therapeutic relationship. The ethical aspects of counselling, the importance of contracting, the importance of informed consent and the role of self-awareness will be examined. These four areas contribute to anti-oppressive practice by ensuring clients rights are respected and upheld and contribute to ensuring that the counselling relationship is beneficial and a useful part of the self-exploration You must Login to view the entire essay. If you are not a member yet, Sign Up for free  process.  Ethical guidelines are designed to encourage ethical behaviour and decision-making and they serve as safeguards to make sure high standards are adhered to by counsellors during the therapeutic sessions. They are guidelines which predominately refer to the rights and responsibilities of both the client and the counsellor during the therapeutic relationship. Ethics highlight the principles of appropriate conduct and behaviour to be adhered to by the counsellor. According to Summers (2011, p. 1), â€Å"ethical principles are the foundation of good human service practice† and it is essential that professionals understand ethical obligations and seek direction when they are unclear. Ethical principles are created to protect and prevent exploitation of clients, provide guidelines and to respect and offer protection for clients therefore contributing to anti-oppressive practice. Counseling level 3 Assignment For this assignment I will be critically evaluating the person centered model of counseling in relation to homosexual people. I will be considering the importance of anti-oppressive and  anti-discriminatory practice when working with this client group. The person centered model of counseling has its origins within Humanistic psychology and the phenomenological approach. Carl Rogers (1902-1987) was the founder of the person centered method and he drew his ideas from the humanistic and phenomenological approaches that are also associated with Abraham Maslow (1908-1970). The phenomenological approach is a philosophical assessment of the individual it was developed by Husserl (1975); the focus is on the subjective experience. The method involved requires the professional to suspend their assumptions and interpretation of the clients world. The client is viewed as a unique person and is facilitated to interpret and explore their own experiences and thoughts. Criticism of the use of phenomenology by Rogers as the basis for therapy is highlighted by Eysenck (1998), he states that it is a simplistic approach as much valuable information lies below the level of conscious awareness therefore the value of the subjective experience can be unreliable. Humanistic psychology has an optimistic perspective of human nature and the focus is on the whole person, the aim for the individual is to become what he/she is capable of becoming Rogers (1951) cited in Dryden et al (1989:10). This is also described as self-actualization, a term developed by Maslow to describe the motivating force enabling us to reach our full potential and peak experience. The humanistic approach stresses the importance of the individuals ability to direct their own life, and the counselor using the person centered method should allow the individual to choose their own pace of change and their own values and standards. However these values and beliefs may clash with those of the counselor’s and this can potentially lead to incongruity for e.g. a gay or lesbian person may be in a marriage and not disclose the fact that they are having homosexual feelings or relationship outside their marriage, to their heterosexual partner. In this situation it would be difficult for the counselor not to encourage the client to be honest with their spouse. Palmer and Laungani (1999) state that for effective communication it is essential that the counselor and client have a common set of assumptions and cultural ideology. There are 3 core conditions that Rogers identified, which are essential to a successful relationship between counselor and client, and for a therapeutic change to be facilitated; these core conditions are congruence or genuiness, the acceptance of the client with out judgment or  the provision of unconditional positive regard, and thirdly empathy. One of the core conditions that Rogers identifies is congruence or genuiness, congruence refers to the counselor’s capacity to be a real and genuine person in the counseling relationship. It also requires the counselor to be transparent so that the client can see straight through him/her. However this can be much more difficult than it seems on the surface. For e.g. if the client presents a situation where the professional does not agree with their action or beliefs, and may reserve these, it may be difficult to be honest in such a circumstance, and therefore maintain.